Grapevine named &#39;21-66-158&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grapevine plant named ‘21-66-158’ particularly characterized by its unusual shape, very firm texture, dark green skinned berries and very large, sweet berries. Additionally, berries of the new cultivar are very responsive to applications of exogenous gibberellic acid, almost doubling in size in comparison to untreated fruit.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Vitis vinifera

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘21-66-158’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of grapevine botanically known as Vitis vinifera and hereinafter referred to as grapevine named ‘21-66-158’. As used herein, ‘grapevine’ refers to all plant parts including, vines, canes, tendrils, leaves, fruit and roots of ‘21-66-158’. Grapevine ‘21-66-158’ is the result of an effort to produce an early ripening, green, seedless table grape with fruit characteristics superior to currently available green grape cultivar ‘Thompson Seedless’ (unpatented). The new cultivar originated from a cross conducted in May 2000 near McFarland, Calif. between the female grapevine plant selection ‘13-2-138’ (unpatented) and the male grapevine plant ‘Princess’ (unpatented). Resultant ovules from the cross were harvested 42 days after pollination and cultured on ‘McCown's Woody Plant Medium’. Subsequently, the resultant embryonic plants were cultured in the same medium in the laboratory under twelve hours of light from standard fluorescent lamps at 29° C. The seedlings from this effort were transplanted to the greenhouse in November of 2001 and grown in the greenhouse at 29° C. with 12 hours illumination under high pressure sodium vapor lamps. The seedling population of 118 plants was planted in the field in the spring of 2001 near McFarland, Calif. The new grapevine was selected from this seedling population in July of 2003 and was then propagated by cuttings and grafted to ‘Freedom’ (unpatented) rootstock in 2004. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

‘21-66-158’ has not been sold or made publically available more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices near McFarland, Calif.

1. Very firm berry texture;

2. Dark green skinned berries; and

3. Very large, unusual shaped berries.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new grapevine is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show fruit clusters, leaves, canes, and tendrils. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs were taken from a plant about 6 years-old, grown in a field near McFarland, Calif. in 2011.

FIG. 1 Fruit clusters on the vine.

FIG. 2 Spring shoot bearing flower clusters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘21-66-158’. Descriptions of the new invention apply to vines of ‘21-66-158’ grown on ‘Freedom’ rootstock at a density of 1,537 vines per hectare grown near McFarland, Calif. in 2011. These vines were in their sixth year of full production having been planted in 2005. These descriptions are believed to apply generally to the new variety grown under similar circumstances elsewhere. Color references are primarily to The Royal Horticultural Society's Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, United Kingdom and Munsell Color Charts for Plant Tissues by Munsell Color, 617 Little Britain Rd., New Windsor, N.Y. 12553-6148. Descriptors used herein conform to those set forth by the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources Institute Grape Descriptors (Vitis spp.) of 1983 and/or 1997 which were developed in collaboration with the Office Interantional de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) and published in Descriptors for Grapevine (Vitis spp.) (Anonymous, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, 1997, ISBN 92-9043-352-3).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification: -   Family: Vitaceae -   Botanical name: Vitis vinifera -   Variety name: ‘21-66-158’ -   Plant: -   Vigor: Medium; vines spur-pruned and shoot thinned to 32 shoots     average 329.0 cm of growth per cane -   Density of foliage: Moderate -   Productivity: Very productive when spur pruned, up to 30,214     kg/hectare -   Hardiness: Hardiness observed to 0° C. -   Rootstock: ‘Freedom’ (unpatented) -   Trunk: -   Shape: Broadly elliptical -   Straps: Long, split -   Surface texture: Shaggy -   Trunk circumference: 24.1 cm at 1.0 m of height -   Inner bark color: RHS 174B (greyed orange group) -   Outer bark color: RHS 201A (grey group) -   Mature leaves: -   Average blade length: 23.8 cm -   Average blade width: 16.9 cm -   Size of blade: Large -   Shape: Pentagonal -   Anthocyanin coloration of main veins on the upper side of the blade:     Absent -   Mature leaf profile: Curved upward at distal tip -   Blistering (upper surface): Absent -   Leaf blade tip: Above the plane of the leaf blade -   Margins: Lobed, serrated, undulating -   Apex: Broadly acuminate -   Bases: Sagittate -   Thickness: Medium -   Undulation of blade between main and lateral veins: Slight -   Shape of teeth: Conical, both sides convex -   Length of teeth: 5.0 mm to 10.0 mm -   Ratio length/width of teeth: About 1.0 to 1.5 -   General shape of petiole sinus: Ovate; open to closed -   Tooth at petiole sinus: Absent -   Petiole sinus limited by veins: Absent -   Shape of upper lateral sinus: Closed -   Prostrate hairs between veins (lower surface): Absent -   Erect hairs between veins (lower surface): Present -   Prostrate hairs on main veins (lower surface): Absent -   Density of erect hairs on main veins (lower surface): Sparse; hairs     distributed along entire length of main veins -   Prostrate hairs on main veins (upper surface): Absent -   Upper surface:     -   -   Summer color.—RHS 139B (green group).         -   Autumn color.—RHS 8B (yellow group).         -   Surface texture.—Smooth.         -   Surface appearance.—Dull.         -   Goffering of blade.—Absent. -   Lower surface:     -   -   Summer color.—RHS 143A (green group).         -   Autumn color.—RHS 8C (yellow group).         -   Anthocyanin coloration of main veins.—Absent.         -   Anthocyanin coloration on laterals.—Present in some; RHS 71A             (red purple group).         -   Glossiness.—Medium.         -   Pubescence.—Absent.         -   Surface texture.—Smooth.         -   Surface appearance.—Dull. -   Petiole:     -   -   Length.—9.25 cm.         -   Length of petiole compared to middle vein.—Petiole length at             9.25 cm compared to main vein at 14.0 cm.         -   Density of prostrate hairs.—Absent.         -   Density of erect hairs.—Absent.         -   Shape of base of petiole sinus.—Open (ovate) to closed             (saggitate).         -   Color.—In shade: RHS 144B (yellow green group) In sun (upper             surface): RHS 60C (red purple group). -   Tendrils: -   Location: Appearing above node four -   Number: Generally present at the fifth and higher nodes -   Form: Single, bifurcated, and trifurcated -   Length: 22.7 cm -   Diameter: 3.0 mm -   Texture: Smooth -   Color: RHS N144A (yellow green group) -   Growing tips (young shoot): -   Pubescence: Abundant, prostrate -   Color: RHS 144C (yellow green group) -   Anthocyanins: Absent -   Shape: Rounded -   Apex: Fully open -   Shoot attitude: Semi-erect -   Woody shoot: -   Canes:     -   -   Shape.—Broadly elliptical.         -   Internode length.—8.6 cm to 29.4 cm.         -   Width at first node.—1.9 cm.         -   Cross section.—Elliptical.         -   Surface.—Rough.         -   Main color.—RHS 165B (greyed orange group).         -   Lenticels.—Inconspicuous.         -   Erect hairs on nodes.—Absent.         -   Erect hairs on internodes.—Absent. -   Laterals:     -   -   Shape.—Broadly elliptical.         -   Number.—Laterals forming at all nodes above node 4.         -   Length.—5.0 cm to 38.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—4.0 mm to 7.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—4.5 cm to 10.2 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 165C (greyed orange group). -   Buds:     -   -   Shape.—Slightly pointed.         -   Cane bud fruitfulness.—Basal buds fruitful, usually 2             clusters per shoot.         -   Length.—4.6 mm.         -   Width.—4.8 mm.         -   Height.—4 mm.         -   Color.—RHS N167B (greyed orange group). -   Flowers: -   Flower sex: Perfect -   Position of first flowering nodes: Usually the third or fourth node -   Number of inflorescences per shoot: Usually 2 -   Calyptra color: RHS 140A (green group) -   Ovary length: 2.0 mm -   Ovary width: 2.0 mm -   Ovary color: RHS 143B (green group) -   Filament length: 2.5 mm -   Filament color: Translucent, absence of pigmentation -   Anther length: 1.0 mm -   Anther color: RHS 4A (yellow group) -   Date of full bloom: May 13 -   Fruit: -   Ripening period: Early mid-season, about 10 days before ‘Thompson     Seedless’ in early August near McFarland, Calif. -   Date of ripening: About August 13 -   Use: Fresh market -   Keeping quality: Very good -   Resistance to insects and disease: Typical of Vitis vinifera -   Shipping quality: Good -   Date of first harvest: August 13 -   Solids-sugar: High, about 20 brix at full maturity -   Refractometer test: 19.3 brix -   Cluster: -   Bunch:     -   -   Size.—Medium.         -   Length (peduncle excluded).—About 19.0 cm.         -   Width.—About 12.0 cm.         -   Weight.—Natural, without gibberellic acid treatment: 517.0 g             With gibberellic acid treatment: 749.0 g.         -   Density.—Well-filled, but loose.         -   Number of berries.—172.         -   Form.—Elliptic. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—About 10.0 cm.         -   Lignification.—Medium.         -   Color.—Munsell 5YR 5/6. -   Berry:     -   -   Size.—Large.         -   Uniformity of size.—Uniform.         -   Weight.—Natural, without gibberellic acid treatment: 3.8 g             With gibberellic acid treatment: 7.5 g.         -   Shape.—Natural, without gibberellic acid treatment: Round             With gibberellic acid treatment: Oblong.         -   Presence of seeds.—Seedless; most berries develop one or two             small, soft rudimentary seeds less than 1.0 mm in length.         -   Cross section.—Circular.         -   Dimensions.—Longitudinal axis: About 1.5 cm Horizontal axis:             About 2.3 cm.         -   Skin color (without bloom).—RHS N144B (yellow green group).         -   Coloration of flesh.—Translucent; RHS 150B (yellow green             group).         -   Juiciness of flesh.—Very juicy.         -   Berry firmness.—Very firm.         -   Particular flavor.—Neutral, typical vinifera.         -   Bloom (cuticular wax).—Slight.         -   Pedicel length.—7.0 mm to 10.0 mm.         -   Berry separation from pedicel.—With difficulty. -   Skin:     -   -   Thickness.—Medium.         -   Texture.—Tender.         -   Reticulation.—Absent.         -   Roughness.—Absent.         -   Tenacity.—Tenacious to flesh.         -   Tendency to crack.—Resistant.

Comparison with Parental and Commercial Varieties

Grapevine named ‘21-66-158’ differs from the female parent grapevine ‘13-2-138’ (unpatented) in that ‘21-66-158’ has dark green berries that are seedless and flowers with functional pollen, whereas ‘13-2-138’ has pale yellow berries with partially lignified seed traces and flowers that are pistillate.

‘21-66-158’ differs from the male parent, ‘Princess’ (unpatented) by having berries that are more elongated and do not brown internally while in cold storage. Additionally, ‘21-66-158’ is very fruitful forming 2 bud spurs and 2 clusters per shoot, and is moderately vigorous, whereas ‘Princess’ is moderately fruitful forming 2 bud spurs and 1 cluster per shoot and vines are very vigorous.

‘21-66-158’ is similar to the commercial cultivar ‘Thompson Seedless’ in that ‘21-66-158’ can be distinguished by having larger berries at harvest after standard vineyard practices of application of exogenous gibberellic acid and girdling of the vine trunks. The berries of ‘21-66-158’ have a darker green color as well and superior eating quality compared to ‘Thompson Seedless’. Additionally, ‘21-66-158’ has fruitful shoots with spur pruning to two buds, whereas ‘Thompson Seedless’ lacks fruitfulness with spur pruning.

‘21-66-158’ is most similar to its sibling from the same population, grapevine named ‘21-66-226’ (plant patent applied for co-currently with this application), from which it can be distinguished by higher fruitfulness (2 clusters on most shoots versus 1 cluster on most shoots of ‘21-66-226’) and an oblong berry shape versus the conical berry shape of ‘21-66-226’. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of grapevine plant named ‘21-66-158’, shown and described herein. 